CREATING YOUR OWN PERSONAL LIBRARY of inspiration can come in many forms. It may entail a daily habit of photography on a quiet morning walk or a visual diary from a vacation to an exotic location. What kinds of things spark inspiration? Here are just a few off the top of my head, unusual patterns occurring in the bark of a tree, the weathered paint layers from an old building or a color combination from a patch of wildflowers. Any of these sightings (and countless others) may strike an idea for future use in your work.
The most important thing you can do is to be observant. Find a way to catalog your inspirational discoveries so that they’ll be available to you when you’re ready to use them in your art. Remember your jumping off points of inspiration are just that: It isn’t necessary to replicate an entire photograph you’ve taken. You may find inspiration in a shape or pattern you come across in just a part of your photo that leads to a bigger idea. Be open to it all.